Improvement in fire-proof columns



- P. B. WIGHT. Fire-Proof Oolumnf No. 204,867. Patented June11,1s7s. A

l i l i l l UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

PETER B. WIGHT, OF CHICAGO, ILL.,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO HARVEY B. MERRILL AND THOMAS FERGUSON,OF DETROIT, MICH.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PROOF COLUMNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 204,867, dated June 11,1878; application filed May 9, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER B. WIGHT, of the city of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new.

and useful Improvements in Fire-Proof Columns; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g d rawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification, in which- Figure l is a top-plan view, and Fig. 2 aside elevation, of a portion of a column, showing the surroundinghre-proof material in section.

The object of this invention is to ireproof round, square, octagonal, orother forms of iron columns, and consists in surrounding them withblocks of porous terra-cotta, concrete, fire-brick, or otherincombustible and non-conducting material, made with grooves in top andbottom edges, and securing them with a hoop arranged in the groove, andthere covered and protected with mortar or cement, as hereinafterexplained.

In the drawings, A represents an iron column, cylindrical, as shown, orof any other desired form; and B, blocks of porous terracotta, concrete,fire-brick, or other incombustible and non-conducting material. Theseblocks B are made with a groove, a, in their top and bottom edges, andof the proper form to surround the column A, as clearly shown in Fig 2.They are built up around the column in courses divided by verticaljoints into convenient sections, so that they may be handled and set inthe best manner. As each course is laid, the groove in the upper edge ofthe block will form a continuous line, as shown in Fig l. A hoop, b,formed of band-iron, of the proper size to stand in the groove, is madeby binding the same about the column, and connecting its ends by passingthe tapered end of one through an eye or hole in the other, and hookingthem together, as shown at C in Fig. 1, or in any other convenientmanner. The ring thus made is then arranged in the groove, and a thickbed of mortar or cement thrown in on both sides, sufficient in quantitynot only to ll this groove, but also to ll the groove in the lower orunder edges of the next course of blocks, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Asthis next course of blocks is laid, the blocks are forced down on themortar or cement, and the upper half of the hoop or ring is forced intoits groove and the mortar into the space about it. In this way the ringbecomes irmly bedded with solid material in the grooves of the adjoiningcourses of blocks, and thus secures them together, so that no 011e blockcan be removed or displaced.

The bands or rings in practice are from twelve to eighteen inches fromcenters, measured upward, and bind the fire-proof material so firmly tothe iron column that none of the contingencies of conflagration candisplace them and destroy the protection thus given to a column.

Having thus described my invention, what In combination with ironcolumns, incombustible and non-conducting blocks, grooved on their topand bottom edges, and secured in place by hoops of bandviron, coveredand protected in the grooves or joints of the same, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

PETER B. WIGHT. Witnesses:

F. W. HANAEORD, JNO. S. McKEoWN.

